Earlier this month Jordan Wood started snapping photos and writing the backstories behind some of Wagga's most well-known and well-loved shopkeepers.

Mr Wood said he has been inspired by their stories and the bond they had forged with their customers, their fellow shopkeepers, and the town of Wagga.

"I've been getting to know what inspires these people. I make a point of asking what they enjoy most about their business and it's always the people, the community, the effect they have on people," Mr Wood said.

"It's inspiring to see that. You'd think it's about money, but day to day it's about the people and the community."

Mr Wood has his own personal ties to the Wagga community, with four generations having lived and dug their roots into the town.

He has fond memories of visiting the shops and talking to the owners as a child, and now he is revisiting those places and talking to those same shopkeepers for his project.

"I bought my first guitar at Allison Music when I was ten years old, and now fifteen years later half way through the lifetime of his business I'm taking photos of his business and highlighting it," Mr Wood said.

"I know these people, a lot of other people would know them, and I thought they deserve more recognition."

Mr Wood said he wanted to put out more uplifting stories as a way to combat the tidal wave of gloomy coronavirus coverage that was filling his news feed.

He said many of these business owners were indeed struggling through lockdown, but could count on the support of one another during the rough times.

"Everyone's rallying together, particularly during the pandemic, but that sense of community has always been there between these businesses, whether they're brand new or going for decades," Mr Wood said.

"It's not often you get to see the face behind a business. They put in so much of their life into their businesses, and it's great to put them in front of a camera for once."